Deadly Spiders In Family Home

Family forced out of house by killer spiders.

This was the first story of its kind that revealed that deadly arachnids were making their way into the UK through food imports.The Taylor family contacted us after it emerged their house had become infested with killer Brazilian Wandering spiders which had come into their home through bananas bought at a supermarket. We sold the frightening story which appeared on the front page of the Sun newspaper. Read the full story:

Banana Critters

A TERRIFIED family fled their home after finding dozens of the world’s deadliest spiders on their Sainsbury’s bananas. Pest experts identified the creepycrawlies as lethal Brazilian Wandering spiders — and ordered Consi Taylor, 29, husband Richard and their two young children to abandon their house in Hampton, south-west London. Consi said: “I was so scared.”

The horrified mum screamed as the creepy-crawlies started dropping off the banana on to her table and carpet and scurrying away. She said: “I got halfway through the banana when I saw something white on the skin. I thought it was mould but when I had a closer look I saw some funny looking spots.

“I had a closer look and was horrified to see they were spiders. They were hatching out on the table, scurrying around on my carpet. I was so scared I started crying.” Consi and Richard took the £1 Colombian Fair Trade bananas back to Sainsbury’s and were offered a £10 voucher. But they sent a picture of the spiders to a pest control firm — and were told to leave the house immediately because it could be infested by lethal Brazilian Wandering spiders.

The firm’s email warned: “The Brazilian Wandering Spider is venomous and should be considered dangerous. We have to take huge care and diligence.”

Guinness World Records states that the spider has the most toxic venom on Earth. It can cause loss of muscle control and breathing problems, resulting in paralysis and asphyxiation. Consi, teacher Richard, 37, Benjamin, three, and four-month-old Annabel, fled their home in Hampton, south-west London, for a hotel. For three days a pest team in chemical suits fumigated the house. All the family’s clothes had to be dry-cleaned.

But Consi is haunted by thoughts she may have accidentally swallowed some of the spiders. She said: “I hope I didn’t eat one but I can’t be sure. I now have a phobia of buying bananas. We don’t know whether they’ve all gone. Sainsbury’s said: “We’re very sorry and have apologised to Mr and Mrs Taylor. We do have rigorous controls on imported products at all stages – from harvesting to transportation — which is why this is so rare.”